Edible Flowers : Monarda astromontana Bees' Favourite

Hardy Herbaceous Perennial

• Flowers in : Mid to late Summer
• Germination : Experience Useful
• Aftercare : Easy
• Ideal for : Borders, Cottage Gardens, Cut Flowers
• Special Features : Edible Flowers, Flowers in 1st Year, Scented
• Height : 24 inches

Description

Masses of flower spikes bearing tiers of soft mauve flowers are produced by this quick and easy to grow border plant. It flowers easily in its first season from an early sowing, producing a bold display of flowers over a long period. Exceptional for its unusually shaped flowers on strong square stems and the rich minty fragrance, which is freely released when the plant is brushed. Compact upright habit and makes a very neat and tidy plant which will add structure and shape to the border, particularly if planted in groups of three. Excellent for cutting and beloved by bees.

Requirements: One of the easiest perennials to cultivate. Happy in sun or light shade and any ordinary garden soil, although they prefer a rich moisture retentive soil which doesn't dry out in the summer. They are very easy to grow, the mat like roots soon forming a large clump, but are not usually invasive. In dry soils they don't grow quite so tall.

Culinary note: Some parts of these flowers are edible. For more details about edible flowers click here.

Sowing Instructions

Sow from late winter to mid summer on the surface of a moist, free draining soilless compost. A late winter/early spring sowing will produce flowers the same season. After sowing seal the seed in a polythene bag or cover with glass until germination which usually takes 14-21 days at 21C (70F). It is beneficial to allow the temperature to drop to 15-18C (60-65F) at night until germination takes place. Do not exclude light which is beneficial to germination. Once the seedlings are well through, remove the glass or polythene bag and place the seed container in a well lit, well ventilated place at a temperature of around 13-15C (55-60F).

Growing Instructions

Pricking out (Transplanting); When the seedlings are large enough to handle transplant them into boxes, spacing them 5cm (2in) apart or individually into 7.5cm (3in) pots of a similar potting compost. Grow the plants on at 13-15C (55-60F) in good ventilation and light. Planting out; When well rooted into their pots or boxes, stand them out in a coldframe or outside in a shady sheltered part of the garden to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions for around 10-15 days and then plant them out into their flowering positions. They are happy in sun or light shade and any ordinary garden soil. In very light dry soils dig in plenty of well rotted compost before planting. They can be planted from spring to early autumn, summer sown plants which are not large enough to be planted out by autumn should be left in a cold frame, or similar, for the winter and planted out the following spring. Plant in groups of 3 for best effect, allowing 38cm (15in) between each plant and water them well after planting, particularly if the weather is hot and dry.

Aftercare

Cut the stems down to almost ground level in the autumn and mulch each spring with a dressing of well rotted compost and manure. Hardiness: Monarda astromontana is cold hardy and can be grown in the UK, Europe, N. America (zones 4-10), Japan and Australia in the temperate and cold climates. They will tolerate heat, but not heat and humidity and are best treated as short lived perennials where the summer is hot and humid.